Series hit by Premier trials

A CLASH of dates with NSW Premier League trials has prevented some of the top southern players from entering the Summerland Series at Ballina.

The Summerland Singles will run from January 6-8 and the Premier League will start on January 13, but many of the players will be involved in pre-season trials.

The Summerland Pairs precedes the singles and will start on Tuesday week, but for the first time there was no need for an elimination event to cut back the pairs field to the required 64 teams.

Organisers believe the week's break between the pairs and singles influences some out-of-town bowlers against playing in both events.

"The cost of petrol and accommodation may be a significant factor but it is just not possible under the current timetable to hold the two events directly back-to-back," says Ballina's Roger Donoghue.

Despite this, a classy field has entered the Summerland Pairs, which will have sectional play over two days, December 27-28, then the finals on December 29.

Last year's winning team, Craig Teys (Evans Head) and Jeff Dolan (Wynnum Manly), are in again on the first day and have drawn a section that includes wily Iluka veteran Vic Reynolds, who has won the Summerland Singles three times but has yet to take the pairs. Reynolds' lead who will help him try to rectify that is Don Plummer, of Maclean.

Another who has won the singles twice but hasn't made his mark in the pairs is Ray Pickard (Avalon, Sydney) who will have Tweed Heads' Nick Separovich as his lead.

Other top teams include Chris Amos/Kelvin Kerkow (South Tweed Heads); Gary Mounsey/Ray Glasser (Mermaid Beach); and gun youngster and NSW Bowler of the Year Matt Pietersen, who will lead for Geoff Matters.

Former English international Steve Halmai will have his son, also Steve, as lead.

But this could be the year of the locals. Some of the teams entered with more than a real chance are John Lang/Mick Anderson (Evans Head/Byron Bay), David Tancred/Neil Burgess (Lennox Head), Gary Burt/David Ball (Casino RSM), Trevor Parker/Viv Ross (Ballina) and youngsters David Zorzo/Alf Boston (Casino RSM/Brunswick Heads).